The 2025 edition of the EuroVelo conference was the largest ever, drawing 330 cycling tourism experts from 31 countries to the banks of lake Balaton, Hungary, the largest lake in Central Europe, encircled by a 220 kilometre bicycle route. Over three days of conference program, networking events, and technical visits participants left inspired, with new knowledge to share in their home regions to contribute to the growing international interest in bicycle tourism.
Engaging Young People
Describing his journey by bicycle to the conference in Balatonfured, Jesper Pørksen, chairman of the EuroVelo Council “Shouted for joy when [he] saw a pump track at a supermarket in a small town” and wondered “why can’t we have [this] in Denmark?” Hungary is home to a total of 186 pumptracks engaging youth and fostering a love of cycling from a young age across the country. But it’s not only the infrastructure inspiring a love of cycling among Hungary’s young people: conference co-organizer and IMBA Europe member organisation MAKETUSZ organizes the Bringás Vándor and Kerékpáros Osztálykirándulás cycling adventure camps, introducing thousands of children each year to the joy and adventure of cycling.
A need for data
Laurianne Krid, attending her first-ever ECF event as the organisation’s director reflected: “What is needed is to reach beyond the community of enthusiasts: we need to expand into health, sustainability and the economic potential of cycling and sustainable tourism. The energy for that is in this room and it’s based on data.” Rebecca Armstrong, Head of Impact at The Travel Foundation agrees “Showing the contribution that cycling tourism can make to climate objectives is really important. There is a need for emissions data which can show that cycling can help lower emissions at destinations… Cycling doesn’t feature as much as it should in climate action plans. We’ve seen the example in Scotland doing work with Visit Scotland where active travel is reflected in the destination net-zero plan.” EuroVelo director Agathe Daudibon presented learning from the EuroVelo Data Hub, divided into categories focusing on usage monitoring, route development, digital statistics and the tour operators industry. While the impact of bicycle tourism is great today, with studies showing an impact of €4.6 billion, €22 billion and €10 billion in France, Germany and Italy respectively, Tilman Sobek from IMBA Europe associate member Mountainbike Forum insists that we can double or triple the impact of cycling tourism through careful planning and development. Start by establishing a product that fits your region and situation on the ground, measure and demonstrate your impact, invest in product, communication and people and build strategic partnerships across sectors. Millions of Europeans have expressed an interest in trying a cycling holiday, but need an offer that meets their needs and interests.
Looking ahead
Next year’s EuroVelo conference is scheduled for September 30 to October 2 in Utrecht, the Netherlands, with an open call for hosting the 2027 edition coming soon. Mountain biking, bikepacking and other forms of adventure cycling are underrepresented at the EuroVelo conference and lessons from IMBA Europe associates would surely resonate with the other participants, and the stories and examples shared here can inspire work in promoting mountain biking as well.